Brave Extended Definition Essay
Extended Definition of “Brave” In today’s society most people all have a similar understanding of words, by all knowing one definition of each and what context to associate that word with. However, the way we perceive certain words today has not always been the same or used in the same context. Many words have transformed into a completely different word and many have also come from one word which may have had a completely different meaning then what is has today. What now is looked at as a positive word was once viewed as a negative word. The word “brave” has completely changed and has transformed its way that it has been perceived throughout history and now in society today. When one hears the word “brave” today they think of the act
of being “brave” or one being “brave”, but back then “brave” was not seen as a positive word like the way it is viewed now in days. In the late 1580’s the French perceived the word “brave” to be something completely different. The word “brave” came from their word bravade which means, “Bragging, boasting” ( Online Etymology Dictionary). Not only did “brave” have a negative connotation back then but it also signified cowardice, which is also a negative word. Like the French, the Italians also had a meaning of the word “brave” which was also a negative perception. In the 1590’s the word “brave” was used to describe a person as a “desperado, hired killer”( Online Etymology Dictionary) Similarly to the Italians, in medieval Latin “brave” meant, “cut throat villain”. However, one must understand that this is the same word “brave” that we still use today, but the meaning has completely transformed itself and now instead of having that negative connotation it now has a positive one. Many people do not realize that words we use today used to have a completely different meaning and used to be used in different ways. The word “brave” as discussed before used to have a negative meaning unlike the usage of the word now. Today people understand the word “brave” as, “A courageous persons; to challenge; to make a courageous show.” This word now only has a positive meaning and is something good to be called, but back in history no one would ever want to be called brave because back then it meant nothing but bad things. The word “brave that we use now evolved from the word “bravo” from Italians meaning which in an exclamation; brave bold, originally wild savage. The more modern meaning, which means the same thing is , “possessing or displaying courage or to be commended for acts of courage or “bravery” being “brave.” Even though a meaning may have completely evolved into something different, the same word has always been around. Throughout history we have used many words that seem to have just disappeared over time, but the truth is that most of the words we used way back when we still use today, the only difference is that the word may have changed from the way it used to be pronounced. Not only has the pronunciation of words changed, but more drastically the meanings of the words have changed even more. The word “brave” was once a negative word that no one would ever want to be known as or described as, but in today’s society “brave” means nothing but positive things. The way one perceives a word can drastically change the way everyone perceives the word, as well as, the way the word is used. History changes every step of the way and the words that were once you are still being used today even though one may not realize this due to the detentions and the way the words are now being used compared to how they use to be used back then.
"Online Etymology Dictionary." Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2013.
of being “brave” or one being “brave”, but back then “brave” was not seen as a positive word like the way it is viewed now in days. In the late 1580’s the French perceived the word “brave” to be something completely different. The word “brave” came from their word bravade which means, “Bragging, boasting” ( Online Etymology Dictionary). Not only did “brave” have a negative connotation back then but it also signified cowardice, which is also a negative word. Like the French, the Italians also had a meaning of the word “brave” which was also a negative perception. In the 1590’s the word “brave” was used to describe a person as a “desperado, hired killer”( Online Etymology Dictionary) Similarly to the Italians, in medieval Latin “brave” meant, “cut throat villain”. However, one must understand that this is the same word “brave” that we still use today, but the meaning has completely transformed itself and now instead of having that negative connotation it now has a positive one. Many people do not realize that words we use today used to have a completely different meaning and used to be used in different ways. The word “brave” as discussed before used to have a negative meaning unlike the usage of the word now. Today people understand the word “brave” as, “A courageous persons; to challenge; to make a courageous show.” This word now only has a positive meaning and is something good to be called, but back in history no one would ever want to be called brave because back then it meant nothing but bad things. The word “brave that we use now evolved from the word “bravo” from Italians meaning which in an exclamation; brave bold, originally wild savage. The more modern meaning, which means the same thing is , “possessing or displaying courage or to be commended for acts of courage or “bravery” being “brave.” Even though a meaning may have completely evolved into something different, the same word has always been around. Throughout history we have used many words that seem to have just disappeared over time, but the truth is that most of the words we used way back when we still use today, the only difference is that the word may have changed from the way it used to be pronounced. Not only has the pronunciation of words changed, but more drastically the meanings of the words have changed even more. The word “brave” was once a negative word that no one would ever want to be known as or described as, but in today’s society “brave” means nothing but positive things. The way one perceives a word can drastically change the way everyone perceives the word, as well as, the way the word is used. History changes every step of the way and the words that were once you are still being used today even though one may not realize this due to the detentions and the way the words are now being used compared to how they use to be used back then.
"Online Etymology Dictionary." Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2013.